Arsenal Join Manchester United in Pursuit of Shakhtar Star Elias

Arsenal’s summer has barely paused for breath. A statement 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield, a title defence about to begin, and now another move in the market: a push for one of Europe’s most intriguing young forwards.

The Premier League champions have reportedly joined Manchester United and a cluster of European heavyweights in the race for Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Kaua Elias Nogueira.

Champions on the hunt again

Mikel Arteta’s side open their Premier League campaign on Friday night at the Emirates, hosting newly-promoted Coventry City with the expectation – and pressure – that comes with being champions. The squad already looks stronger.

Bruno Guimaraes has arrived from Newcastle United to add craft and bite to the midfield, a Brazil international dropped straight into the engine room of a team that just dismantled City 3-0 in Cardiff.

Arsenal still want more. A top-level forward remains on the wishlist before the window closes on September 1. Vinicius Junior is off the table after committing his future to Real Madrid, so attention has turned elsewhere in Brazil’s production line.

That trail leads to Ukraine.

Elias lighting it up at Shakhtar

According to TEAMTalk, Arsenal are now firmly in the conversation for Elias, who has been turning heads since his move from Fluminense to Shakhtar in February 2025 for £14.5m.

The numbers are already impressive. At just 20, Elias has scored 15 goals in 49 appearances for the Ukrainian giants, a return that has quickly pushed him onto the radar of Europe’s elite.

One performance in particular has supercharged the hype. On August 3, at Arena Lviv, Elias produced a perfect hat-trick in Shakhtar’s 5-1 demolition of Kudrivka in the Ukrainian top flight – left foot, right foot, header. It wasn’t just the goals; it was the authority of the display.

Around 10 clubs had scouts in the stands that day, with Arsenal and Manchester United among them. They did not leave disappointed. The battle for his signature is now expected to be fierce.

Shakhtar value the Brazilian at around £30m, and the feeling is that he will not stay in Ukraine much longer. The expectation is clear: Elias will move either in this window or after the 2026-27 season. AC Milan and Porto are also tracking him closely.

Who needs him more: Arsenal or Man Utd?

That’s where the footballing question begins to bite. Not who wants him, but who can actually use him properly right now.

For Arsenal, the pathway into the starting XI is crowded. Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz give Arteta strong options through the middle in attacking roles, and both arrive with the status and experience of senior internationals trusted in a title-winning setup.

At Old Trafford, the picture is similar. Michael Carrick’s Manchester United have Benjamin Sesko leading the line, a Slovenia international seen as a central pillar of their rebuild. Dropping a 20-year-old straight in ahead of him would be a major call.

So while the chase for Elias is intense, the reality of his immediate prospects at either club looks less glamorous. Minutes will be hard to come by. Starts even harder.

That makes the next decision crucial.

Elias must weigh the lure of the Premier League and the badges on the shirt against something less glamorous but far more important at this stage of his career: regular football. The club that can offer him a clear role, patience, and genuine first-team opportunities will be the one that truly suits his development.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Milan, Porto – the names are big. The question is simple: who can turn a prodigy in Ukraine into a star in Europe, rather than just another talent lost on the bench?